Thursday, 20 July 2017

Where to Stay - Inn at Laurel Point

I've gone to Victoria numerous times but not once did I stay more than just a one day trip. Covering the entire Victoria, albeit relatively smaller, can be quite tiring, especially with the two ferry rides back and forth. Not to mention if you wish to travel a little beyond our capital city, one day is just not enough.

So Melissa and I decided to take it easy and relaxing, and planned our girl's mini getaway at theInn at Laurel Point.

The Inn at Laurel Point is quite a sizable hotel tucked quietly away in the Fisherman's Whalf which situates by the bay that flows to the North Pacific Ocean. Although it doesn't sit right in the middle of most downtown attractions, it only takes around 5 minutes to drive to the Parliament Building. I would say the little drive is worth it if you want the best of both worlds (serenity and crowds).

We took a nice smooth drive directly from the Ferry Terminal to our hotel. Parking was extremely easy - we were greeted by the valet right after we rolled to a stop and our luggage were well taken care of on the spot without asking for much information from us. It is good to know that they also offer EV and Tesla charging stations if you are visiting with your electric vehicle !

Check in was fast and efficient. We arrived a little earlier than our check-in time but our room was all ready !

As an entrepreneur, I can leave my work space physically but really, work never leaves me. So the first thing I check whenever I arrive anywhere, is FREE WIFI. #freewifiislife I was able to connect to the free wifi very quickly and thanked God that the internet was fast and not patchy. That is seriously all I ask for in life - a good internet connection.

Oh, before I got all excited about the internet, the spaciousness of our room really impressed me. We stayed at the Double Queen Suite in the Erickson Wing. I love the big glass window wall that lets in all that bright natural sunlight for all our photo needs. The room also looks extremely new that we suspect the entire Erickson Wing has been recently renovated (yes, it felt THAT new).

Okay , to be frank, most standard hotel rooms look pretty standard. That's not a bad thing , because standard also means a good level of quality control. But what makes an accommodation stand out from the others is its service and attention to details.

The Laurel Point Inn sure lacks none of that. We were pleasantly surprised by this nicely plated dessert (with a hand-written card) as our welcome gift.

Coffee machine, cups, coffee, and tea bags are also part of the room essentials so you don't have to struggle out to grab your morning coffee on your vacayyy.

They also use L'Occitane products as their washroom amenities, all packed nicely in a soft make up pouch that you can take away. I love L'Occitane personally and was delighted to find them in a hotel room. The scent that they chose for these amenities reminds you of a soothing spa, which added to the relaxation of the entire place.

It is these little luxurious details that elevate one's hotel experience :)

Whenever I checked into a hotel room, the first thing I do is to check the washroom. Washrooms are somehow extremely important to me. Whether it's in a restaurant, a home, or a hotel, I think the washroom tells a lot about the hygiene and quality of the entire place.

Needless to say, the bathroom in our suite was superb. It was spacious as well, perfectly matching the sleeping area. I love two sink washrooms because you don't have to take turns to use the water. #hatesharing #onlychildsyndrome The marble counter was also big enough for the two ladies to layout all of our skin care and make up products.

The bath sink was nice and deep, located cozily against the marble wall. Two ropes were provided to each room, because what's worse than wearing back your day clothes after taking a nice long scented bath. Did I say scented bath ? Yes, because Inn at Laurel Point also provided aromatherapy bath soak gel !

We were also blessed with a water view balcony over looking central downtown, and a huge garden right underneath.

There were some spare time after we checked in and settled, so we decided to take a walk around the hotel. Right after we exited the elevator back to the main floor, we found this beautiful banquet space with ceiling to floor windows and bright natural light !

Through one of these glass doors, you right away enter the garden area. The garden was indeed very well groomed, with stone paved paths that lead you to stroll around a calming pond. It even has a mini waterfall ! The path eventually leads you outside of the hotel, where you get a better view of the water and its surroundings.

Overall, I really enjoyed my stay at the Inn at Laurel Point. Good service, convenient location, beautiful and spacious room, what else can I ask for ?

BONUS #1 :

It is pet friendly if you ever wish to visit with a furry friend.

BONUS #2 :

The Inn at Laurel Point offers this "Key to the City" program where you can get discounts at many popular attractions and actives in the city !